Estimation of the economic burden of atrial fibrillation-related stroke in Greece

ABSTRACT

Background

Stroke is aleading cause of death and disability, with atrial fibrillation (AF) being among key risk factors and AF-related stroke inflicting significant burden on healthcare systems and society. The present study was undertaken for estimating the total annual socioeconomic burden of AF-related stroke in Greece and identifying the key cost contributors.

Research design and methods

A cost-of-illness model was developed for estimating the total annual economic burden of AF-related stroke in Greece, from asocietal perspective (year 2018). Atargeted literature review and an advisory board consisting of key experts in the management of AF and AF-related stroke were performed for collecting local resource use and epidemiological data.

Results

The total annual socioeconomic burden of AF-related stroke was estimated at €175million, in 2018. Direct and indirect costs accounted for 59% and 41%, respectively. Main contributors were informal care (21.1%), patients’ productivity losses (19.7%) and hospitalizations (15.0%), accounting for more than half of the total costs of AF-related stroke events.

Conclusion: A F-related stroke imposes asignificant socioeconomic burden in Greece. Despite results relying on estimations, it seems that ensuring efficient reallocation of resources in appropriate prevention and early intervention strategies could decrease AF-related stroke’s burden but also enhance healthcare systems’ efficiency.

Abbreviations

AF=atrial fibrillation

KEYWORDS:

• Atrial fibrillation
• stroke
• AF-related stroke
• economic burden
• cost-of-illness

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr Dimitris Trafalis, Senior Medical Advisor at Pfizer Hellas, for their valuable comments on the manuscript.

Authors’ contributions

Conception and design: NB, EV

Acquisition of the data and analysis: NB, EV, PS, KV, GG, GN, HM, GH, FP, KT

Interpretation of the data: NB, EV

Drafting of the paper: NB, EV, KV

Critical revision of the paper: KV, PS, GG, GN, HM, GH, FP, KT

Final approval of the paper: KV, NB, EV, PS, GG, GN, HM, GH, FP, KT

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethics committee approval and consent were not required for this study.

Declarations of interest

N Boubouchairopoulou and E Vitsou are Pfizer Hellas employees. K Vemmos, G Giannakoulas, G Ntaios, H Milionis, G Hahalis, F Parthenakis, and K Tsioufis all participated in the advisory board providing the relevant data used in the study. Meanwhile, P Stafylas has received consulting fees for the development of the cost-of-illness model. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Pfizer Hellas.